MTB Rider looking for a roadi

MattJohnson

Hi guys,

I've been into mtb riding for quite a while now and looking to purchase a road bike. I was just wandering if many people here use both a road bike and a mountain bike and how you find swapping and changing the riding position etc?

Is it easy to swap between the two as i would still like to do a lot of mountain biking as well as road.

I am looking to spend about £1000 on a road bike but im spoiled for choice. I know there have probably been many threads about the best bike for a grand but i cant seem to get anything out of the search function.

I have been looking at the Boardman Team Carbon which i think seems to be the best.

Any advice or possibly any other bikes to be looking at would be appriciated.

Thanks

Matt

Marcosplace

Riding position will be ok after a few rides. Make sure you set the bike position up right...will Halfords help you with this

The Team Carbon is a good bike, but look at TREK, Giant and Scott bikes. Just Halfords is the problem... :?

You will love the speed and the ability to get to places quickly. Hope you enjoy

MattJohnson

Thanks for the advice, most people seem to be slating Halfords throughout this forum.

The boardman specialist at my local Halfords seems really good and knows what hes talking about. So im hoping he will do a good job of setting it up, i would use my local bike shop after purchase for any maintenance etc anyway.

I also like the look of the Ribble Sportive Racing but i think for £1000 the spec is quite basic, when you start upgrading the parts the price jumps up a lot. How would you compare the standard Ribble Sportive Racing for £1000 to the Boardman Team Carbon?

Thanks

Marcosplace

Think they have the Ultegra set up? Ribble is a good value bike if this is so. I have heard Ribble can have a slow turn around of orders. Better ring them before you order.

Otherwise- a lot of people like the Boardman. Only be sure that Halfords have them in stock - also heard about of lots of orders being slow to get. If you trust the guy in Halfords to service it and examine it - then go for it.

elcani

Planet X SL Pro Carbon has many fans (and a few detractors) on this forum. I've never ridden one myself (but have just ordered the same company's Ti Sportive). Do a search and you'll find loads of posts about it, including comparisons with the Boardman.

Cheers.

MikeWW

MTB'er here but also bought a road bike last July (and a cross bike in November)
Very easy to swap between bikes after you get through the first couple of weeks of adjustment. After that find it very complimentary both in terms of fitness and bike handling. In terms of a suitable bike just go local from someone you have some confidence in (whether that be your local Halfords guy or someone else)

strodey

I moved over from mtb to road last year, i was amazed at how much harder it worked me, rather than cycling up to then along a ridge i was cycling up over then back, improved my mtb fitness no end and i secretly prefer the road now


If your worried about the riding position either get fitted or go for an audax bike like a specialized roubaix, giant defy, bit more relaxed so less of a shock when your crouched over those skinny tyres for the first time!

kingrollo

Don't think the boardmans a bad bike all in all. Ribble , Planet x, were the other good value bikes last year.
I think however the boardman has a lower position - its a more racy bike. - You may find yourself better off with a more sportive bike - slightly more relaxed geometrey - this isn't as bad as it sounds - for example I moved to a more upright position with my latest bike - but actually go faster because (i think) I am more comfortable.

MattJohnson

Thanks for the feedback guys, i like the sound of using both complimenting your fitness.

I am contenplating entering sportives and possibly races so i dont mind the "racey" feel. I had a go on my friends roadi and that had a rather low and racey feel to it which i liked.

Philby

Main thing for a first road bike is try before you buy - which limits you a bit with Ribble and Planet X. Fit is much more important on a road bike than a Mtb.

Boardman is a great value package but quite racey. Also look at what you LBS has in stock.

If you are not using C2W you may also be able to get a last year's model at a significant discount.

soveda

I've found that the main oddness comes from the width of the bars on my MTB compared to the road bike in terms of "feel".
I have found myself lowering the bars on the MTB since spending more time on the road bike too as I feel more comfortable lower and longer now!

Steve_b77

I've got both road and mountain bikes (and a single speed commuter too) and the road biking does huge amounts for your mountain biking especially when it comes to climbing and the ability to just pedal.

Likewise I think that mountain biking helps with the road riding as you will have naturally developed a smooth pedalling motion due to maintaining traction on tecchy climbs and obstacles like logs etc. as if you don't pedal smoothly on those you're gonna come a cropper.

The main differences other than the obvious speed are the bars and the braking, hydraulic discs stop you incredibly well form all speeds, rim brakes aren't quite that good, but then again you're in a different situation on the road, you tend to look ahead a lot more.

Bar width is the other, I've got 685mm on one MTB and 711mm on the other, whereas my road bike has 420mm wide bars.

It takes a few weeks to adjust but it's bloody addictive this road biking malarkey

MattJohnson

Philby wrote:

Main thing for a first road bike is try before you buy - which limits you a bit with Ribble and Planet X. Fit is much more important on a road bike than a Mtb.

Boardman is a great value package but quite racey. Also look at what you LBS has in stock.

If you are not using C2W you may also be able to get a last year's model at a significant discount.

Yep thats a bummer, also Halfords wont let you "trail" ride a Boardman. I can sit on one and feel the bike but cant take it for a test drive.

Also i am not using C2W, i brought my mountain bike on the C2W scheme from my old emoloyee a couple of years ago. Unfortunately my current employee does not offer the scheme so i am forced to pay outright, on the flip side this does enable me to look at last years bikes which are selling fast and rarly available in my size.

I have been looking at the CAAD9 which seems to be a popular bike around here and also the 2009 Colnago Primavera is a good looker.

Steve_b77

Have a gander at the Raleigh Avanti / Airlite range - great marks for the 105 equipped bike in this months Cycling Active.

You can still get some '09 ones at proper knoced down prices

ExeterSimon

Like a few guys above I took up road cycling to compliment by MTBing.

So much fitter now and people who left me for dead on the trails now get left for dead.

Stevo_666

ExeterSimon wrote:

Like a few guys above I took up road cycling to compliment by MTBing.

So much fitter now and people who left me for dead on the trails now get left for dead.

Similar - I took up commuting by bike partly as a way to get fit and it's worked wonders, with a good bit of weight loss checked in for free.

Trouble is, I'm getting sucked into the idea of getting a proper roadie now

Steve_b77

Stevo -> nowt wrong with that, my collection keeps growing

2 x MTB's (one FS the other HT)
1 x Hybrid Commuter - same as yours
1 x Road Bike
1 x Single Speed
1 x 15yr old Raleigh MTB - now going to the father-in-law to execise after his knee replacement

Stevo_666

Steve_b77 wrote:

Stevo -> nowt wrong with that, my collection keeps growing

2 x MTB's (one FS the other HT)
1 x Hybrid Commuter - same as yours
1 x Road Bike
1 x Single Speed
1 x 15yr old Raleigh MTB - now going to the father-in-law to execise after his knee replacement

It's not a problem really 8)

I can see a gap in my collection that needs to be filled by:
1 (preferably Italian) expensive-ish roadie
1 cheapo Ribble type winter trainer/CX bike
1 HT MTB
1 Long travel FS MTB
Have I missed anything?